The Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) evolves to meet veterans’ needs, with significant updates in 2024–2025. Here are 50 essential facts, authenticated from official sources as of April 1, 2025, to help you navigate ECHS effectively—stay updated via www.echs.gov.in!
📅 Inception & Launch
The Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) was approved on 30 December 2002 and officially launched on 1 April 2003. It offers cashless, capless medical treatment to ESM pensioners and their eligible dependents.
🛡️ Administrative Framework
ECHS functions under the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW), Ministry of Defence. It is entirely funded through Defence Budget Estimates.
👥 Who is Eligible?
All Armed Forces pensioners drawing pensions from the Controller of Defence Accounts (CDA) and their dependents are eligible.
- Mandatory for those retiring after 1 April 2003
- Voluntary for earlier retirees
🌍 Broad Coverage
Eligibility extends to:
- Territorial Army (TA)
- World War II Veterans
- Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs)
- Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs)
- Non-Departmental Gorkhas (NDGs)
- Pre-mature retirees, as per 2019 Cabinet approval
❗ SSCO/PMR Specifics
SSCOs and PMR cases receive coverage for self and legally wedded spouse only. No other dependents are covered under their category.
💍 Spousal Benefits
All legally wedded spouses, including multiple spouses if officially documented, are covered.
- Coverage ends on remarriage or legal separation without maintenance.
👶 Children’s Coverage
- Sons: Up to 25 years, unmarried and unemployed
- Daughters: Until marriage or earning, whichever comes first
- Must be registered as dependents in records
♿ Disabled Dependents
Children with disabilities are covered for life if:
- Unmarried
- Income < ₹9,000/month (excluding DA)
- Certified under the PWD Act 2016
👵 Dependent Parents
- Covered if residing with ESM and earning < ₹9,000/month (excl. DA)
- Step-parents and in-laws are not eligible
👪 Family Pensioners
Widows, children, or Next of Kin (NOKs) drawing family pension are fully eligible.
💰 Contribution Charges (One-Time Fee)
As per 2025 data:
- ₹30,000: Sepoy to Havildar
- ₹67,000: Naib Subedar to Subedar Major
- ₹1,20,000: Officers
- Valid for life
🛏️ Ward Entitlement
Based on contribution:
- ₹30,000 → General Ward
- ₹67,000 → Semi-Private
- ₹1,20,000 → Private
🚫 Exempted Categories
No contribution required from:
- War widows
- Battle casualties
- Pre-1996 retirees
🏥 Healthcare Network
- 427 ECHS Polyclinics in India
- 6 in Nepal
- Over 2,500 empanelled hospitals (DESW update as of 31 January 2025)
💯 Unlimited Healthcare
- No cap on cost
- No disease exclusions
- Applicable to all ages
💳 Smart Card Rules
- Only 64KB cards (post-2015) are valid
- Printing resumed on 7 January 2025 (echs.gov.in)
📝 Card Application Process
- Register at echs.sourceinfosys.com
- Upload PPO, photos
- Collect card at polyclinic after receiving SMS
📇 Lost Card Protocol
- Block online
- Reapply with applicable fee
- Use OIC-signed temporary slip (valid for 3 months, extendable)
🗓️ Annual Validation
- Annual life certificate and eligibility proof required for dependents
- Refer ECHS Letter dated 30 Jan 2025
⏰ Polyclinic Timings
- 8 AM to 4 PM, Monday–Saturday
- OPD: Until 3 PM
- Specialists: 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM
- Closed on holidays
🩺 Outpatient Services
Polyclinics provide:
- Basic consultations
- Diagnostic tests
- Essential medications
📄 Referral Validity (Updated)
- Now valid for 3 months (90 days)
- Updated via ECHS Order, 2 September 2024
🧬 Chronic Illness Referrals
- Validity now uniformly 3 months, even for dialysis, cancer, etc.
- In sync with CGHS rules
👴 Senior Citizen Update
- Veterans aged 70+ (not 75+) can now visit empanelled hospitals directly for OPD
- Effective from September 2024
🚨 Emergency Protocol
- Go to:
- Service hospital (direct)
- Empanelled hospital (cashless)
- Non-empanelled (pay & claim)
- Inform ECHS within 48 hours
🧾 Claim Window
- Claim within 90 days at CGHS rates
- Must provide emergency documentation
💊 Medicine Durations
- Chronic cases: 90 days
- Overseas (with visa): 180 days
- Non-parent polyclinic: 15 days
🚫 Out-of-Stock Meds
- Use NA slip, purchase from outside
- Submit for reimbursement
- Alternatively, meds sourced via ALC
💸 FMA Provision
- If no polyclinic in your district, claim ₹1,000/month as FMA
- Check eligibility list online
⚖️ Marital Discord Help
- Spouses apply via DIAV, DESA, or DAV
- One-year renewable slip after approval by CO ECHS
💔 Post-Divorce Rules
- Spouse coverage ceases
- ESM must report or face cost recovery
💼 Job Priority in ECHS
- 100% for OICs
- 60% for medical staff
- 70% for para/non-medical
- Apply via Station HQ
🧾 Qualification & Eligibility
- Foreign MBBS: Must be MCI registered
- Resigned staff: May face delay in eligibility
🧑⚕️ Staff Leave
- Contractual staff: 2.5 days/month
- Lapses if unused after six months
👥 Age Limits (ECHS Staff)
- OIC: 65 years
- Medical Officer: 68 years
- Specialist: 70 years
- Para-Medical: 58 years
- Non-Medical: 55 years
🏗️ Polyclinic Infrastructure
- Type A/B: 1200 sq yards (5000/4000 sq ft)
- Type C/D: 700 sq yards (2500/2000 sq ft)
💰 Infrastructure Funding
- Constructed by MES/state agencies under ECHS Budget
- Compliant with DWP-2020
🏢 Rented Facilities
- In non-military stations, buildings may be rented
- Sanctioned by Station Commander’s Board
🤝 CSR Partnerships
- Corporates can contribute to ECHS under CSR
- Coordinated by the AG’s Branch
❌ Cash Demands
- Cashless service mandatory at empanelled hospitals
- Report violations to OIC/Regional Centre
📣 Complaint Escalation
- OIC Polyclinic
- Station HQ
- Regional Centre
- CPGRAMS or 1800-114-115
🕒 Complaint Resolution Timelines
- Polyclinic/RC: 30 days
- Central Organisation: 60 days
📄 RTI Protocol
- File RTI to CPIO, IHQ MoD (Army) or Station HQs
- Not to the Central ECHS Org
🔍 Vigilance Reporting
- Email nodal officers like dymdechs-mod@nic.in
- Contact region-specific channels
📑 Data Management
- Update dependent details regularly
- Non-updation may lead to suspension
🔄 Polyclinic Change
- You can switch your parent polyclinic online every 3 months
- Ideal for mobile retirees
🇮🇳 Pan-India Access
- Use ECHS card at any polyclinic nationwide
- Full healthcare mobility ensured
🏥 Hospital Empanelment
- NABH hospitals: Automatic empanelment
- Non-NABH: Need QCI approval
- Finalised through Memorandum of Agreement (MoA)
👨⚕️ Specialist Consults
- Referral mandatory unless veteran is 70+
- Applies to empanelled OPD visits
📞 Stay Updated
- ECHS Helpline: 1800-114-115
- Website: www.echs.gov.in
- Stay aware—your well-being depends on it!
ALSO READ I 10 MUST-KNOW BENEFITS & UPDATES FROM THE DIRECTORATE OF CANTEEN SERVICES